Translated by Theodore Graebner
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1949),
Chapter 1, pp. 9-18

Contents

• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Chapter Three
• Chapter Four
• Chapter Five
• Chapter Six

CHAPTER 1

VERSE 1. Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus
Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead).

St. Paul wrote this epistle because, after his departure from the Galatian
churches, Jewish-Christian fanatics moved in, who perverted Paul's Gospel of
man's free justification by faith in Christ Jesus.

The world bears the Gospel a grudge because the Gospel condemns the religious
wisdom of the world. Jealous for its own religious views, the world in turn
charges the Gospel with being a subversive and licentious doctrine, offensive
to God and man, a doctrine to be persecuted as the worst plague on earth.

As a result we have this paradoxical situation: The Gospel supplies the world
with the salvation of Jesus Christ, peace of conscience, and every blessing.
Just for that the world abhors the Gospel.

These Jewish-Christian fanatics who pushed themselves into the Galatian
churches after Paul's departure, boasted that they were the descendants of
Abraham, true ministers of Christ, having been trained by the apostles
themselves, that they were able to perform miracles.

In every way they sought to undermine the authority of St. Paul. They said to
the Galatians: "You have no right to think highly of Paul. He was the last to
turn to Christ. But we have seen Christ. We heard Him preach. Paul came later
and is beneath us. It is possible for us to be in error--we who have received
the Holy Ghost? Paul stands alone. He has not seen Christ, nor has he had much
contact with the other apostles. Indeed, he persecuted the Church of Christ for
a long time."

When men claiming such credentials come along, they deceive not only the
naive, but also those who seemingly are well-established in the faith. This
same argument is used by the papacy. "Do you suppose that God for the sake of
a few Lutheran heretics would disown His entire Church? Or do you suppose that
God would have left His Church floundering in error all these centuries?" The
Galatians were taken in by such arguments with the result that Paul's
authority and doctrine were drawn in question.

Against these boasting, false apostles, Paul boldly defends his apostolic
authority and ministry. Humble man that he was, he will not now take a back
seat. He reminds them of the time when he opposed Peter to his face and
reproved the chief of the apostles.

Paul devotes the first two chapters to a defense of his office and his Gospel,
affirming that he received it, not from men, but from the Lord Jesus Christ by
special revelation, and that if he or an angel from heaven preach any other
gospel than the one he had preached, he shall be accursed.

The Certainty of Our Calling

Every minister should make much of his calling and impress upon others the
fact that he has been delegated by God to preach the Gospel. As the
ambassador of a government is honored for his office and not for his private
person, so the minister of Christ should exalt his office in order to gain
authority among men. This is not vain glory, but needful glorying.

Paul takes pride in his ministry, not to his own praise but to the praise of
God. Writing to the Romans, he declares, "Inasmuch as I am the apostle of the
Gentiles, I magnify mine office," i.e., I want to be received not as Paul of
Tarsus, but as Paul the apostle and ambassador of Jesus Christ, in order that
people might be more eager to hear. Paul exalts his ministry out of the desire
to make known the name, the grace, and the mercy of God.

VERSE 1. Paul, an apostle, (not of men, etc.)

Paul loses no time in defending himself against the charge that he had thrust
himself into the ministry. He says to the Galatians: "My call may seem
inferior to you. But those who have come to you are either called of men or by
man. My call is the highest possible, for it is by Jesus Christ, and God the
Father."

When Paul speaks of those called "by men," I take it he means those whom
neither God nor man sent, but who go wherever they like and speak for
themselves.

When Paul speaks of those called "by man" I take it he means those who have a
divine call extended to them through other persons. God calls in two ways.
Either He calls ministers through the agency of men, or He calls them directly
as He called the prophets and apostles. Paul declares that the false apostles
were called or sent neither by men, nor by man. The most they could claim is
that they were sent by others. "But as for me I was called neither of men, nor
by man, but directly by Jesus Christ. My call is in every respect like the
call of the apostles. In fact I am an apostle."

Elsewhere Paul draws a sharp distinction between an apostleship and lesser
functions, as in I Corinthians 12:28: "And God hath set some in the church;
first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers." He mentions the
apostles first because they were appointed directly by God.

Matthias was called in this manner. The apostles chose two candidates and then
cast lots, praying that God would indicate which one He would have. To be an
apostle he had to have his appointment from God. In the same manner Paul was
called as the apostle of the Gentiles.

The call is not to be taken lightly. For a person to possess knowledge is not
enough. He must be sure that he is properly called. Those who operate without
a proper call seek no good purpose. God does not bless their labors. They may
be good preachers, but they do no edify. Many of the fanatics of our day
pronounce words of faith, but they bear no good fruit, because their purpose
is to turn men to their perverse opinions. On the other hand, those who have a
divine call must suffer a good deal of opposition in order that they may
become fortified against the running attacks of the devil and the world.

This is our comfort in the ministry, that ours is a divine office to which we
have been divinely called. Reversely, what an awful thing it must be for the
conscience if one is not properly called. It spoils one's best work. When I
was a young man I thought Paul was making too much of his call. I did not
understand his purpose. I did not then realize the importance of the ministry.
I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith because we were taught sophistry
instead of certainty, and nobody understood spiritual boasting. We exalt our
calling, not to gain glory among men, or money, or satisfaction, or favor, but
because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of
God. This is no sinful pride. It is holy pride.

VERSE 1. And God the Father, who raised him from the dead.

Paul is so eager to come to the subject matter of his epistle, the
righteousness of faith in opposition to the righteousness of works, that
already in the title he must speak his mind. He did not think it quite enough
to say that he was an apostle "by Jesus Christ"; he adds, "and God the Father,
who raised him from the dead."

The clause seems superfluous on first sight. Yet Paul had a good reason for
adding it. He had to deal with Satan and his agents who endeavored to deprive
him of the righteousness of Christ, who was raised by God the Father from the
dead. These perverters of the righteousness of Christ resist the Father and
the Son, and the works of them both.

In this whole epistle Paul treats of the resurrection of Christ. By His
resurrection Christ won the victory over law, sin, flesh, world, devil, death,
hell, and every evil. And this His victory He donated unto us. These many
tyrants and enemies of ours may accuse and frighten us, but they dare not
condemn us, for Christ, whom God the Father has raised from the dead is our
righteousness and our victory.

Do you notice how well suited to his purpose Paul writes? He does not say, "By
God who made heaven and earth, who is Lord of the angels," but Paul has in
mind the righteousness of Christ, and speaks to the point, saying, "I am an
apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father,
who raised him from the dead."

VERSE 2. And all the brethren which are with me.

This should go far in shutting the mouths of the false apostles. Paul's
intention is to exalt his own ministry while discrediting theirs. He adds for
good measure the argument that he does not stand alone, but that all the
brethren with him attest to the fact that his doctrine is divinely true.
"Although the brethren with me are not apostles like myself, yet they are all
of one mind with me, think, write, and teach as I do."

VERSE 2. Unto the churches of Galatia.

Paul had preached the Gospel throughout Galatia, founding many churches which
after his departure were invaded by the false apostles. The Anabaptists in our
time imitate the false apostles. They do not go where the enemies of the
Gospel predominate. They go where the Christians are. Why do they not invade
the Catholic provinces and preach their doctrine to godless princes, bishops,
and doctors, as we have done by the help of God? These soft martyrs take no
chances. They go where the Gospel has a hold, so that they may not endanger
their lives. The false apostles would not go to Jerusalem of Caiaphas, or to
the Rome of the Emperor, or to any other place where no man had preached
before as Paul and the other apostles did. But they came to the churches of
Galatia, knowing that where men profess the name of Christ they may feel
secure.

It is the lot of God's ministers not only to suffer opposition at the hand of
a wicked world, but also to see the patient indoctrination of many years
quickly undone by such religious fanatics. This hurts more than the
persecution of tyrants. We are treated shabbily on the outside by tyrants, on
the inside by those whom we have restored to the liberty of the Gospel, and
also by false brethren. But this is our comfort and our glory, that being
called of God we have the promise of everlasting life. We look for that reward
which "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart
of man."

Jerome raises the question why Paul called them churches that were no
churches, inasmuch as the Galatians had forsaken the grace of Christ for the
law of Moses. The proper answer is: Although the Galatians had fallen away
from the doctrine of Paul, baptism, the Gospel, and the name of Christ
continued among them. Not all the Galatians had become perverted. There were
some who clung to the right view of the Word and the Sacraments. These means
cannot be contaminated. They remain divine regardless of men's opinion.
Wherever the means of grace are found, there is the Holy Church, even though
Antichrist reigns there. So much for the title of the epistle. Now follows the
greeting of the apostle.

VERSE 3. Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and from our
Lord Jesus Christ.

The terms of grace and peace are common terms with Paul and are now pretty
well understood. But since we are explaining this epistle, you will not mind
if we repeat what we have so often explained elsewhere. The article of
justification must be sounded in our ears incessantly because the frailty of
our flesh will not permit us to take hold of it perfectly and to believe it
with all our heart.

The greeting of the Apostle is refreshing. Grace remits sin, and peace quiets
the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these
fiends now and forever. Only Christians possess this victorious knowledge
given from above. These two terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity.
Grace involves the remission of sins, peace, and a happy conscience. Sin is
not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the Law.
The Law reveals guilt, fills the conscience with terror, and drives men to
despair. Much less is sin taken away by man-invented endeavors. The fact is,
the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he
goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual
living, however, it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in
opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and
peace with God.

The world brands this a pernicious doctrine. The world advances free will, the
rational and natural approach of good works, as the means of obtaining the
forgiveness of sin. But it is impossible to gain peace of conscience by the
methods and means of the world. Experience proves this. Various holy orders
have been launched for the purpose of securing peace of conscience through
religious exercises, but they proved failures because such devices only
increase doubt and despair. We find no rest for our weary bones unless we
cling to the word of grace.

The Apostle does not wish the Galatians grace and peace from the emperor, or
from kings, or from governors, but from God the Father. He wishes them
heavenly peace, the kind of which Jesus spoke when He said, "Peace I leave
unto you: my peace I give unto you." Worldly peace provides quiet enjoyment of
life and possessions. But in affliction, particularly in the hour of death,
the grace and peace of the world will not deliver us. However, the grace and
peace of God will. They make a person strong and courageous to bear and to
overcome all difficulties, even death itself, because we have the victory of
Christ's death and the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins.

Men Should Not Speculate About the Nature of God

The Apostle adds to the salutation the words, "and from our Lord Jesus
Christ." Was it not enough to say, "from God the Father"?

It is a principle of the Bible that we are not to inquire curiously into the
nature of God. "There shall no man see me, and live," Exodus 33:20. All who
trust in their own merits to save them disregard this principle and lose sight
of the Mediator, Jesus Christ.

True Christian theology does not inquire into the nature of God, but into
God's purpose and will in Christ, whom God incorporated in our flesh to live
and to die for our sins. There is nothing more dangerous than to speculate
about the incomprehensible power, wisdom, and majesty of God when the
conscience is in turmoil over sin. To do so is to lose God altogether because
God becomes intolerable when we seek to measure and to comprehend His infinite
majesty.

We are to seek God as Paul tells us in I Corinthians 1:23, 24: "We preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God, and the wisdom of God." Begin with Christ. He came down to
earth, lived among men, suffered, was crucified, and then He died, standing
clearly before us, so that our hearts and eyes may fasten upon Him. Thus we
shall be kept from climbing into heaven in a curious and futile search after
the nature of God.

If you ask how God may be found, who justifies sinners, know that there is no
other God besides this man Christ Jesus. Embrace Him, and forget about the
nature of God. But these fanatics who exclude our Mediator in their dealings
with God, do not believe me. Did not Christ Himself say: "I am the way, and
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"? Without
Christ there is no access to the Father, but futile rambling; no truth, but
hypocrisy; no life, but eternal death.

When you argue about the nature of God apart from the question of
justification, you may be as profound as you like. But when you deal with
conscience and with righteousness over against the law, sin, death, and the
devil, you must close your mind to all inquiries into the nature of God, and
concentrate upon Jesus Christ, who says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Doing this, you will recognize the
power, and majesty condescending to your condition according to Paul's
statement to the Colossians, "In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge," and, "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
Paul in wishing grace and peace not alone from God the Father, but also from
Jesus Christ, wants to warn us against the curious incursions into the nature
of God. We are to hear Christ, who has been appointed by the Father as our
divine Teacher.

Christ is God by Nature

At the same time, Paul confirms our creed, "that Christ is very God." We need
such frequent confirmation of our faith, for Satan will not fail to attack it.
He hates our faith. He knows that it is the victory which overcometh him and
the world. That Christ is very God is apparent in that Paul ascribes to Him
divine powers equally with the Father, as for instance, the power to dispense
grace and peace. This Jesus could not do unless He were God.

To bestow peace and grace lies in the province of God, who alone can create
these blessings. The angels cannot. The apostles could only distribute these
blessings by the preaching of the Gospel. In attributing to Christ the divine
power of creating and giving grace, peace, everlasting life, righteousness,
and forgiveness of sins, the conclusion is inevitable that Christ is truly
God. Similarly, St. John concludes from the works attributed to the Father and
the Son that they are divinely One. Hence, the gifts which we receive from the
Father and from the Son are one and the same. Otherwise Paul should have
written: "Grace from God the Father, and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ." In
combining them he ascribes them equally to the Father and the Son. I stress
this on account of the many errors emanating from the sects.

The Arians were sharp fellows. Admitting that Christ had two natures, and that
He is called "very God of very God," they were yet able to deny His divinity.
The Arians took Christ for a noble and perfect creature, superior even to the
angels, because by Him God created heaven and earth. Mohammed also speaks
highly of Christ. But all their praise is mere palaver to deceive men. Paul's
language is different. To paraphrase him: "You are established in this belief
that Christ is very God because He gives grace and peace, gifts which only God
can create and bestow."

VERSE 4. Who gave himself for our sins.

Paul sticks to his theme. He never loses sight of the purpose of his epistle.
He does not say, "Who received our works," but "who gave." Gave what? Not
gold, or silver, or paschal lambs, or an angel, but Himself. What for? Not for
a crown, or a kingdom, or our goodness, but for our sins. These words are like
so many thunderclaps of protest from heaven against every kind and type of
self-merit. Underscore these words, for they are full of comfort for sore
consciences.

How may we obtain remission of our sins? Paul answers: "The man who is
named Jesus Christ and the Son of God gave himself for our sins." The heavy
artillery of these words explodes papacy, works, merits, superstitions. For if
our sins could be removed by our own efforts, what need was there for the Son
of God to be given for them? Since Christ was given for our sins it stands to
reason that they cannot be put away by our own efforts.

This sentence also defines our sins as great, so great, in fact, that the
whole world could not make amends for a single sin. The greatness of the
ransom, Christ, the Son of God, indicates this. The vicious character of sin
is brought out by the words "who gave himself for our sins." So vicious is sin
that only the sacrifice of Christ could atone for sin. When we reflect that
the one little word "sin" embraces the whole kingdom of Satan, and that it
includes everything that is horrible, we have reason to tremble. But we are
careless. We make light of sin. We think that by some little work or merit we
can dismiss sin.

This passage, then, bears out the fact that all men are sold under sin. Sin is
an exacting despot who can be vanquished by no created power, but by the
sovereign power of Jesus Christ alone.

All this is of wonderful comfort to a conscience troubled by the enormity of
sin. Sin cannot harm those who believe in Christ, because He has overcome sin
by His death. Armed with this conviction, we are enlightened and may pass
judgment upon the papists, monks, nuns, priests, Mohammedans, Anabaptists, and
all who trust in their own merits, as wicked and destructive sects that rob
God and Christ of the honor that belongs to them alone.

Note especially the pronoun "our" and its significance. You will readily grant
that Christ gave Himself for the sins of Peter, Paul, and others who were
worthy of such grace. But feeling low, you find it hard to believe that Christ
gave Himself for your sins. Our feelings shy at a personal application of the
pronoun "our," and we refuse to have anything to do with God until we have
made ourselves worthy by good deeds.

This attitude springs from a false conception of sin, the conception that sin
is a small matter, easily taken care of by good works; that we must present
ourselves unto God with a good conscience; that we must feel no sin before we
may feel that Christ was given for our sins.

This attitude is universal and particularly developed in those who consider
themselves better than others. Such readily confess that they are frequent
sinners, but they regard their sins as of no such importance that they cannot
easily be dissolved by some good action, or that they may not appear before
the tribunal of Christ and demand the reward of eternal life for their
righteousness. Meantime they pretend great humility and acknowledge a certain
degree of sinfulness for which they soulfully join in the publican's prayer,
"God be merciful to me a sinner." But the real significance and comfort of the
words "for our sins" is lost upon them.

The genius of Christianity takes the words of Paul "who gave himself for our
sins" as true and efficacious. We are not to look upon our sins as
insignificant trifles. On the other hand, we are not to regard them as so
terrible that we must despair. Learn to believe that Christ was given, not for
picayune and imaginary transgressions, but for mountainous sins; not for one
or two, but for all; not for sins that can be discarded, but for sins that are
stubbornly ingrained.

Practice this knowledge and fortify yourself against despair, particularly in
the last hour, when the memory of past sins assails the conscience. Say with
confidence: "Christ, the Son of God, was given not for the righteous, but for
sinners. If I had no sin I should not need Christ. No, Satan, you cannot
delude me into thinking I am holy. The truth is, I am all sin. My sins are not
imaginary transgressions, but sins against the first table, unbelief, doubt,
despair, contempt, hatred, ignorance of God, ingratitude towards Him, misuse
of His name, neglect of His Word, etc.; and sins against the second table,
dishonor of parents, disobedience of government, coveting of another's
possessions, etc. Granted that I have not committed murder, adultery, theft,
and similar sins in deed, nevertheless I have committed them in the heart, and
therefore I am a transgressor of all the commandments of God.

"Because my transgressions are multiplied and my own efforts at
self-justification rather a hindrance than a furtherance, therefore Christ the
Son of God gave Himself into death for my sins." To believe this is to have
eternal life.

Let us equip ourselves against the accusations of Satan with this and similar
passages of Holy Scripture. If he says, "Thou shalt be damned," you tell him:
"No, for I fly to Christ who gave Himself for my sins. In accusing me of being
a damnable sinner, you are cutting your own throat, Satan. You are reminding
me of God's fatherly goodness toward me, that He so loved the world that He
gave His only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. In calling me a sinner, Satan, you really comfort
me above measure." With such heavenly cunning we are to meet the devil's craft
and put from us the memory of sin.

St. Paul also presents a true picture of Christ as the virgin-born Son of God,
delivered into death for our sins. To entertain a true conception of Christ is
important, for the devil describes Christ as an exacting and cruel judge who
condemns and punishes men. Tell him that his definition of Christ is wrong,
that Christ has given Himself for our sins, that by His sacrifice He has taken
away the sins of the whole world.

Make ample use of this pronoun "our." Be assured that Christ has canceled the
sins, not of certain persons only, but your sins. Do not permit yourself to be
robbed of this lovely conception of Christ. Christ is no Moses, no law-giver,
no tyrant, but the Mediator for sins, the Giver of grace and life.

We know this. Yet in the actual conflict with the devil, when he scares us
with the Law, when he frightens us with the very person of the Mediator, when
he misquotes the words of Christ, and distorts for us our Savior, we so easily
lose sight of our sweet High-Priest.

For this reason I am so anxious for you to gain a true picture of Christ out
of the words of Paul "who gave himself for our sins." Obviously, Christ is no
judge to condemn us, for He gave Himself for our sins. He does not trample the
fallen but raises them. He comforts the broken-hearted. Otherwise Paul should
lie when he writes "who gave himself for our sins."

I do not bother my head with speculations about the nature of God. I simply
attach myself to the human Christ, and I find joy and peace, and the wisdom of
God in Him. These are not new truths. I am repeating what the apostles and all
teachers of God have taught long ago. Would to God we could impregnate our
hearts with these truths.

VERSE 4. That he might deliver us from this present evil world.

Paul calls this present world evil because everything in it is subject to the
malice of the devil, who reigns over the whole world as his domain and fills
the air with ignorance, contempt, hatred, and disobedience of God. In this
devils's kingdom we live.

As long as a person is in the world he cannot by his own efforts rid himself
of sin, because the world is bent upon evil. The people of the world are the
slaves of the devil. If we are not in the Kingdom of Christ, it is certain we
belong to the kingdom of Satan and we are pressed into his service with every
talent we possess.

Take the talents of wisdom and integrity. Without Christ, wisdom is double
foolishness and integrity double sin, because they not only fail to perceive
the wisdom and righteousness of Christ, but hinder and blaspheme the salvation
of Christ. Paul justly calls it the evil or wicked world, for when the world
is at its best the world is at its worst. The grossest vices are small faults
in comparison with the wisdom and righteousness of the world. These prevent
men from accepting the Gospel of the righteousness of Christ. The white devil
of spiritual sin is far more dangerous than the black devil of carnal sin
because the wiser, the better men are without Christ, the more they are likely
to ignore and oppose the Gospel.

With the words, "that he might deliver us," Paul argues that we stand in need
of Christ. No other being can possibly deliver us from this present evil
world. Do not let the fact disturb you that a great many people enjoy
excellent reputations without Christ. Remember what Paul says, that the world
with all its wisdom, might, and righteousness is the devil's own. God alone is
able to deliver us from the world.

Let us praise and thank God for His mercy in delivering us from the captivity
of Satan, when we were unable to do so by our own strength. Let us confess
with Paul that all our work-righteousness is loss and dung. Let us condemn as
filthy rags all talk about free will, all religious orders, masses,
ceremonies, vows, fastings, and the like.

In branding the world the devil's kingdom of iniquity, ignorance, error, sin,
death, and everlasting despair, Paul at the same time declares the Kingdom of
Christ to be a kingdom of equity, light, grace, remission of sin, peace,
saving health, and everlasting life into which we are translated by our Lord
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever.

In this passage Paul contends against the false apostles for the article of
Justification. Christ, says Paul, has delivered us from this wicked kingdom of
the devil and the world according to the good will, the pleasure and
commandment of the Father. Hence we are not delivered by our own will, or
shrewdness, or wisdom, but by the mercy and love of God, as it is written,
I John 4:10, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Another reason why Paul, like John, emphasizes the Father's will is Christ's
habit of directing attention to the Father. For Christ came into the world to
reconcile God with us and to draw us to the Father.

Not by curious inquiries into the nature of God shall we know God and His
purpose for our salvation, but by taking hold of Christ, who according to the
will of the Father has given Himself into death for our sins. When we
understand this to be the will of the Father in Christ, then shall we know God
to be merciful, and not angry. We shall realize that He loved us wretched
sinners so much indeed that He gave us His only-begotten Son into death for
us.

The pronoun "our" refers to both God and Father. He is our God and our Father.
Christ's Father and our Father are one and the same. Hence Christ said to Mary
Magdalene: "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and
your Father; and to my God, and your God." God is our Father and our God, but
only in Christ Jesus.

VERSE 5. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrew writing is interspersed with expressions of praise and gratitude. This
peculiarity can be traced in the apostolic writings, particularly in those of
Paul. The name of the Lord is to be mentioned with great reverence and
thanksgiving.

VERSE 6. I marvel.

How patiently Paul deals with his seduced Galatians! He does not pounce on
them but, like a father, he fairly excuses their error. With motherly
affection he talks to them yet he does it in a way that at the same time he
also reproves them. On the other hand, he is highly indignant at the seducers
whom he blames for the apostasy of the Galatians. His anger bursts forth in
elemental fury at the beginning of his epistle. "If any may," he cries,
"preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed." Later on, in the fifth chapter, he threatens the false apostles
with damnation. "He that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he
be." He pronounces a curse upon them. "I would they were even cut off which
trouble you."

He might have addressed the Galatians after this fashion: "I am ashamed of
you. Your ingratitude grieves me. I am angry with you." But his purpose was to
call them back to the Gospel. With this purpose in his mind he speaks very
gently to them. He could not have chosen a milder expression than this, "I
marvel." It indicates his sorrow and his displeasure.

Paul minds the rule which he himself lays down in a later chapter where he
says: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted." Toward those who have been misled we are to show ourselves
parentally affectionate, so that they may perceive that we seek not their
destruction but their salvation. Over against the devil and his missionaries,
the authors of false doctrines and sects, we ought to be like the Apostle,
impatient, and rigorously condemnatory, as parents are with the dog that bites
their little one, but the weeping child itself they soothe.

The right spirit in Paul supplies him with an extraordinary facility in
handling the afflicted consciences of the fallen. The Pope and his bishops,
inspired by the desire to lord it over men's souls, crack out thunders and
curses upon miserable consciences. They have no care for the saving of men's
souls. They are interested only in maintaining their position.

VERSE 6. That ye are so soon.

Paul deplores the fact that it is difficult for the mind to retain a sound and
steadfast faith. A man labors for a decade before he succeeds in training his
little church into orderly religion, and then some ignorant and vicious
poltroon comes along to overthrow in a minute the patient labor of years. By
the grace of God we have effected here in Wittenberg the form of a Christian
church. The Word of God is taught as it should be, the Sacraments are
administered, and everything is prosperous. This happy condition, secured by
many years of arduous labors, some lunatic might spoil in a moment. This
happened in the churches of Galatia which Paul had brought into life in
spiritual travail. Soon after his departure, however, these Galatian churches
were thrown into confusion by the false apostles.

The church is a tender plant. It must be watched. People hear a couple of
sermons, scan a few pages of Holy Writ, and think they know it all. They are
bold because they have never gone through any trials of faith. Void of the
Holy Spirit, they teach what they please as long as it sounds good to the
common people who are ever ready to join something new.

We have to watch out for the devil lest he sow tares among the wheat while we
sleep. No sooner had Paul turned his back on the churches of Galatia, than the
false apostles went to work. Therefore, let us watch over ourselves and over
the whole church.

VERSE 6. I marvel that ye are so soon removed.

Again the Apostle puts in a gentle word. He does not berate the Galatians, "I
marvel that ye are so unsteady, unfaithful." He says, "I marvel that ye are so
soon removed." He does not address them as evildoers. He speaks to them as
people who have suffered great loss. He condemns those who removed them
rather than the Galatians. At the same time he gently reproves them for rather
themselves to be removed. The criticism is implied that they should have been
permitting a little more settled in their beliefs. If they had taken better hold
of the Word they could not have been removed so easily.

Jerome thinks that Paul is playing upon the name Galatians, deriving it from
the Hebrew word Galath, which means fallen or carried away, as though Paul
wanted to say, "You are true Galatians, i.e., fallen away in name and in
fact." Some believe that the Germans are descended from the Galatians. There
may be something to that. For the Germans are not unlike the Galatians in
their lack of constancy. At first we Germans are very enthusiastic, but
presently our emotions cool and we become slack. When the light of the Gospel
first came to us many were zealous, heard sermons greedily, and held the
ministry of God's Word in high esteem. But now that religion has been
reformed, many who formerly were such earnest disciples have discarded the
Word of God, have become sow-bellies like the foolish and inconsistent
Galatians.

VERSE 6. From him that called you into the grace of Christ.

The reading is a little doubtful. The sentence may be construed to read: "From
that Christ that called you into grace"; or it may be construed to read: "From
God that called you into the grace of Christ." I prefer the former for it
seems to me that Paul's purpose is to impress upon us the benefits of Christ.
This reading also preserves the implied criticism that the Galatians withdrew
themselves from that Christ who had called them not unto the law, but unto
grace. With Paul we decry the blindness and perverseness of men in that they
will not receive the message of grace and salvation, or having received it
they quickly let go of it, in spite of the fact that the Gospel bestows all
good things spiritual: forgiveness of sins, true righteousness, peace of
conscience, everlasting life; and all good things temporal: good judgment,
good government and peace.

Why does the world abhor the glad tidings of the Gospel and the blessings that
go with it? Because the world is the devil's. Under his direction the world
persecutes the Gospel and would if it could nail again Christ, the Son of God,
to the Cross although He gave Himself into death for the sins of the world.
The world dwells in darkness. The world is darkness.

Paul accentuates the point that the Galatians had been called by Christ unto
grace. "I taught you the doctrine of grace and of liberty from the Law, from
sin and wrath, that you should be free in Christ, and not slaves to the hard
laws of Moses. Will you allow yourselves to be carried away so easily from
the living fountain of grace and life?"

VERSE 6. Unto another gospel.

Note the resourcefulness of the devil. Heretics do not advertise their errors.
Murderers, adulterers, thieves disguise themselves. So the devil masquerades
all his devices and activities. He puts on white to make himself look like an
angel of light. He is astoundingly clever to sell his patent poison for the
Gospel of Christ. Knowing Satan's guile, Paul sardonically calls the doctrine
of the false apostles "another gospel," as if he would say, "You Galatians
have now another gospel, while my Gospel is no longer esteemed by you."

We infer from this that the false apostles had depreciated the Gospel of Paul
among the Galatians on the plea that it was incomplete. Their objection to
Paul's Gospel is identical to that recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the
Book of Acts to the effect that it was not enough for the Galatians to believe
in Christ, or to be baptized, but that it was needful to circumcise them, and
to command them to keep the law of Moses, for "except ye be circumcised after
the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." As though Christ were a workman
who had begun a building and left it for Moses to finish.

Today the Anabaptists and others, finding it difficult to condemn us, accuse
us Lutherans of timidity in professing the whole truth. They grant that we
have laid the foundation in Christ, but claim that we have failed to go
through with the building. In this way these perverse fanatics parade their
cursed doctrine as the Word of God, and, flying the flag of God's name, they
deceive many. The devil knows better than to appear ugly and black. He prefers
to carry on his nefarious activities in the name of God. Hence the German
proverb: "All mischief begins in the name of God."

When the devil sees that he cannot hurt the cause of the Gospel by destructive
methods, he does it under the guise of correcting and advancing the cause of
the Gospel. He would like best of all to persecute us with fire and sword, but
this method has availed him little because through the blood of martyrs the
church has been watered. Unable to prevail by force, he engages wicked and
ungodly teachers who at first make common cause with us, then claim that
they are particularly called to teach the hidden mysteries of the Scriptures
to superimpose upon the first principles of Christian doctrine that we teach.
This sort of thing brings the Gospel into trouble. May we all cling to the
Word of Christ against the wiles of the devil, "for we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places."

VERSE 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you.

Here again the apostle excuses the Galatians, while he blames the false
apostles for disturbing their consciences and for stealing them out of his
hand. How angry he gets at these deceivers! He calls them troublemakers,
seducers of poor consciences.

This passage adduces further evidence that the false apostles defamed
Paul as an imperfect apostle and a weak and erroneous preacher. They
condemn Paul, Paul condemns them. Such warfare of condemnation is
always going on in the church. The papists and the fanatics hate us,
condemn our doctrine, and want to kill us. We in turn hate and condemn
their cursed doctrine. In the meanwhile the people are uncertain whom to
follow and which way to turn, for it is not given to everybody to judge
these matters. But the truth will win out. So much is certain, we
persecute no man, neither does our doctrine trouble men. On the contrary,
we have the testimony of many good men who thank God on their knees for
the consolation that our doctrine has brought them. Like Paul, we are not
to blame that the churches have trouble. The fault lies with the
Anabaptists and other fanatics.

Every teacher of work-righteousness is a trouble-maker. Has it never
occurred to you that the pope, cardinals, bishops, monks, and that the
whole synagogue of Satan are trouble-makers? The truth is, they are
worse than false apostles. The files apostles taught that in addition to
faith in Christ the works of the Law of God were necessary unto salvation.
But the papists omit faith altogether and teach self-devised traditions
and works that are not commanded of God, indeed are contrary to the Word
of God, and for these traditions they demand preferred attention and
obedience.

Paul calls the false apostles troublers of the church because they taught
circumcision and the keeping of the Law as needful unto salvation. They
insisted that the Law must be observed in every detail. They were
supporters in this contention by the Jews, with the result that those who
were not firmly established in faith were easily persuaded that Paul was
not a sincere teacher of God because he ignored the Law. The Jews were
offended at the idea that the Law of God should be entirely ignored by Paul
and that the Gentiles, former idol-worshippers, should gratuitously attain
to the station of God's people without circumcision, without the
penitentiary performance of the law, by grace alone through faith in
Christ Jesus.

These criticisms were amplified by the false apostles. They accused Paul
of designs to abolish the law of God and the Jewish dispensation, contrary
to the law of God, contrary to their Jewish heritage, contrary to apostolic
example, contrary to Paul's own example. They demanded that Paul be
shunned as a blasphemer and a rebel, while they were to be heard as true
teachers of the Gospel and authentic disciples of the apostles. Thus Paul
stood defamed among the Galatians. He was forced to attack the false
apostles. He did so without hesitation.


VERSE 7. And would pervert the gospel of Christ.

To paraphrase this sentence: "These false apostles do not merely trouble
you, they abolish Christ's Gospel. They act as if they were the only true
Gospel-preachers. For all that they muddle Law and Gospel. As a result
they pervert the Gospel. Either Christ must live and the Law perish, or the
Law remains and Christ must perish; Christ and the Law cannot dwell side
by side in the conscience. It is either grace or law. To muddle the two is
to eliminate the Gospel of Christ entirely."

It seems a small matter to mingle the Law and Gospel, faith and works,
but it creates more mischief than man's brain can conceive. To mix Law
and Gospel not only clouds the knowledge of grace, it cuts out Christ
altogether.

The words of Paul, "and would pervert the gospel of Christ," also indicate
how arrogant these false apostles were. They were shameless boasters.
Paul simply had to exalt his own ministry and Gospel.


VERSE 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him
be accursed.

Paul's zeal for the Gospel becomes so fervent that it almost leads him to
curse angels. "I would rather that I, my brethren, yes, the angels of heaven
be anathematized than that my gospel be overthrown."

The Greek word _anathema_, Hebrew _herem_, means to accurse,
execrate, to damn. Paul first (hypothetically) curses himself. Knowing
persons first find fault with themselves in order that they may all the
more earnestly reprove others.

Paul maintains that there is no other gospel besides the one he had
preached to the Galatians. He preached, not a gospel of his own invention,
but the very same Gospel God had long ago prescribed in the Sacred
Scriptures. No wonder Paul pronounces curses upon himself and upon
others, upon the angels of heaven, if anyone should dare to preach any
other gospel than Christ's own.


VERSE 9. As we said before, so say I now again. If any man preach
any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed.

Paul repeats the curse, directing it now upon other persons. Before, he
cursed himself, his brethren, and an angel from heaven. "Now," he says, "if
there are any others who preach a gospel different from that you have
received from us, let them also be accursed." Paul herewith curses and
excommunicates all false teachers including his opponents. He is so
worked up that he dares to curse all who pervert his Gospel. Would to God
that this terrible pronouncement of the Apostle might strike fear into the
hearts of all who pervert the Gospel of Paul.

The Galatians might say: "Paul, we do not pervert the Gospel you have
brought unto us. We did not quite understand it. That is all. Now these
teachers who came after you have explained everything so beautifully."

This explanation the Apostle refuses to accept. They must add nothing;
they must correct nothing. "What you received from me is the genuine
Gospel of God. Let it stand. If any man brings any other gospel than the one
I brought you, or promises to deliver better things than you have received
from me, let him be accursed."

In spite of this emphatic denunciation so many accept the pope as the
supreme judge of the Scriptures. "The Church," they say, "chose only four
gospels. The Church might have chosen more. Ergo the Church is above the
Gospel." With equal force one might argue: "I approve the Scriptures. Ergo I
am above the Scriptures. John the Baptist confessed Christ. Hence he is
above Christ." Paul subordinates himself, all preachers, all the angels of
heaven, everybody to the Sacred Scriptures. We are not the masters,
judges, or arbiters, but witnesses, disciples, and confessors of the
Scriptures, whether we be pope, Luther, Augustine, Paul, or an angel from
heaven.


VERSE 10. For do I now persuade men, or God?

With the same vehemence Paul continues: "You Galatians ought to be able
to tell from my preaching and from the many afflictions which I have
endured, whether I serve men or God. Everybody can see that my preaching
has stirred up persecution against me everywhere, and has earned for me
the cruel hatred of my own people, in fact the hatred of all men. This
should convince you that by my preaching I do not seek the favor and
praise of men, but the glory of God."

No man can say that we are seeking the favor and praise of men with our
doctrine. We teach that all men are naturally depraved. We condemn man's
free will, his strength, wisdom, and righteousness. We say that we obtain
grace by the free mercy of God alone for Christ's sake. This is no preaching
to please men. This sort of preaching procures for us the hatred and
disfavor of the world, persecutions, excommunications, murders, and
curses.

"Can't you see that I seek no man's favor by my doctrine?" asks Paul. "If I
were anxious for the favor of men I would flatter them. But what do I do?
I condemn their works. I teach things only that I have been commanded to
teach from above. For that I bring down upon my head the wrath of Jews
and Gentiles. My doctrine must be right. It must be divine. Any other
doctrine cannot be better than mine. Any other doctrine must be false and
wicked."

With Paul we boldly pronounce a curse upon every doctrine that does not
agree with ours. We do not preach for the praise of men, or the favor of
princes. We preach for the favor of God alone whose grace and mercy we
proclaim. Whosoever teaches a gospel contrary to ours, or different from
ours, let us be bold to say that he is sent of the devil.


VERSE 10. Or do I seek to please men?

"Do I serve men or God?" Paul keeps an eye on the false apostles, those
flatterers of men. They taught circumcision to avoid the hatred and
persecution of men.

To this day you will find many who seek to please men in order that they
may live in peace and security. They teach whatever is agreeable to men,
no matter whether it is contrary to God's Word or their own conscience.
But we who endeavor to please God and not men, stir up hell itself. We
must suffer reproach, slanders, death.

For those who go about to please men we have a word from Christ
recorded in the fifth chapter of St. John: "How can ye believe, which
receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God
alone?"


VERSE 10. For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of
Christ.

Observe the consummate cleverness with which the false apostles went
about to bring Paul into disrepute. They combed Paul's writings for
contradictions (our opponents do the same) to accuse him of teaching
contradictory things. They found that Paul had circumcised Timothy
according to the Law, that Paul had purified himself with four other men
in the Temple at Jerusalem, that Paul had shaven his head at Cenchrea. The
false apostles slyly suggested that Paul had been constrained by the other
apostles to observe these ceremonial laws. We know that Paul observed
these _decora_ out of charitable regard for the weak brethren. He did not
want to offend them. But the false apostles turned Paul's charitable
regard to his disadvantage. If Paul had preached the Law and circumcision,
if he had commended the strength and free will of man, he would not have
been so obnoxious to the Jews. On the contrary they would have praised his
every action.


VERSES 11, 12. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which
was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of
man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This passage constitutes Paul's chief defense against the accusations of
his opponents. He maintains under oath that he received his Gospel not
from men, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In declaring that his Gospel is not after man, Paul does not merely wish
to state that his Gospel is not mundane. The false apostles made the same
claim for their gospel. Paul means to say that he learned his Gospel not in
the usual and accepted manner through the agency of men by hearing,
reading, or writing. He received the Gospel by special revelation directly
from Jesus Christ.

Paul received his Gospel on the way to Damascus when Christ appeared to
him. St. Luke furnishes an account of the incident in the ninth chapter of
the Book of Acts. "Arise," said Christ to Paul, "and go into the city, and it
shall be told thee what thou must do." Christ did not send Paul into the
city to learn the Gospel from Ananias. Ananias was only to baptize Paul, to
lay his hands on Paul, to commit the ministry of the Word unto Paul, and to
recommend him to the Church. Ananias recognized his limited assignment
when he said to Paul: "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared
unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest
receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." Paul did not receive
instruction from Ananias. Paul had already been called, enlightened, and
taught by Christ in the road. His contact with Ananias was merely a
testimonal to the fact that Paul had been called by Christ to preach the
Gospel.

Paul was forced to speak of his conversion to combat the slanderous
contention of the false apostles to the effect that this apostleship was
inferior to that of the other apostles.

If it were not for the example of the Galatian churches I would never have
thought it possible that anybody who had received the Word of God with
such eagerness as they had, could so quickly let go of it. Good Lord, what
terrible mischief one single false statement can create.

The article of justification is fragile. Not in itself, of course, but in us. I
know how quickly a person can forfeit the joy of the Gospel. I know in
what slippery places even those stand who seem to have a good footing in
the matters of faith. In the midst of the conflict when we should be
consoling ourselves with the Gospel, the Law rears up and begins to rage
all over our conscience. I say the Gospel is frail because we are frail.

What makes matters worse is that one-half of ourselves, our own reason,
stands against us. The flesh resists the spirit, or as Paul puts it, "The
flesh lusteth against the Spirit." Therefore we teach that to know Christ
and to believe in Him is no achievement of man, but the gift of God. God
alone can create and preserve faith in us. God creates faith in us through
the Word. He increases, strengthens and confirms faith in us through His
word. Hence the best service that anybody can render God is diligently to
hear and read God's Word. On the other hand, nothing is more perilous than
to be weary of the Word of God. Thinking he knows enough, a person begins
little by little to despise the Word until he has lost Christ and the Gospel
altogether.

Let every believer carefully learn the Gospel. Let him continue in humble
prayer. We are molested not by puny foes, but by mighty ones, foes who
never grow tired of warring against us. These, our enemies, are many: Our
own flesh, the world, the Law, sin, death, the wrath and judgment of God,
and the devil himself.

The arguments which the false apostles advanced impress people to this
day. "Who are you to dissent from the fathers and the entire Church, and to
bring a contradictory doctrine? Are you wiser than so many holy men,
wiser than the whole Church?" When Satan, abetted by our own reason,
advances these arguments against us, we lose heart, unless we keep on
saying to ourselves: "I don't care if Cyprian, Ambrose, Augustine, Peter,
Paul, John, or an angel from heaven, teaches so and so. I know that I teach
the truth of God in Christ Jesus."

When I first took over the defense of the Gospel, I remembered what
Doctor Staupitz said to me. "I like it well," he said, "that the doctrine
which you proclaim gives glory to God alone and none to man. For never can
too much glory, goodness, and mercy be ascribed unto God." These words of
the worthy Doctor comforted and confirmed me. The Gospel is true because
it deprives men of all glory, wisdom, and righteousness and turns over all
honor to the Creator alone. It is safer to attribute too much glory unto God
than unto man.

You may argue that the Church and the fathers are holy. Yet the Church is
compelled to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses," I am not to be believed, nor
is the Church to be believed, or the fathers, or the apostles, or an angel
from heaven, if they teach anything contrary to the Word of God. Let the
Word of God abide forever.

Peter erred in life and in doctrine. Paul might have dismissed Peter's
error as a matter of no consequence. But Paul saw that Peter's error would
lead to the damage of the whole Church unless it were corrected.
Therefore he withstood Peter to his face. The Church, Peter, the apostles,
angels from heaven, are not to be heard unless they teach the genuine Word
of God.

This argument is not always to our advantage. People ask: "Whom then
shall we believe?" Our opponents maintain that they teach the pure Word
of God. We do not believe them. They in turn hate and persecute us for vile
heretics. What can we do about it? With Paul we glory in the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. What do we gain? We are told that our glorying is idle vanity
and unadulterated blasphemy. The moment we abase ourselves and give in
to the rage of our opponents, Papists and Anabaptists grow arrogant. The
Anabaptists hatch out some new monstrosity. The Papists revive their old
abominations. What to do? Let everybody become sure of his calling and
doctrine, that he may boldly say with Paul: "But though we, or an angel
from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than ye have received, let
him be accursed."


VERSES 13, 14. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in
the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church
of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many
my equals in mine own nation.

This passage does not contain doctrine. Paul adduces his own case for an
example. "I have," he says, "at one time defended the traditions of the
Pharisees more fiercely than any of your false apostles. Now, if the
righteousness of the Law had been worth anything I would never have
forsaken it. So carefully did I live up to the Law that I excelled many of
my companions. So zealous was I in defense of the Law that I wasted the
church of God."


VERSE 14. Being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my
fathers.

Speaking now of the Mosaic Law, Paul declares that he was wrapped up in
it. To the Philippians he wrote: "As touching the law, a Pharisee;
concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless." He means to say, "I can compare myself with the
best and holiest of all those who are of the circumcision. Let them show
me if they can, a more earnest defender of the Mosaic Law than I was at
one time. This fact, O Galatians, should have put you on your guard against
these deceivers who make so much of the Law. If anybody ever had reason
to glory in the righteousness of the Law, it was I."

I too may say that before I was enlightened by the Gospel, I was as
zealous for the papistical laws and traditions of the fathers as ever a man
was. I tried hard to live up to every law as best I could. I punished myself
with fasting, watching, praying, and other exercises more than all those
who today hate and persecute me. I was so much in earnest that I imposed
upon my body more than it could stand. I honored the pope as a matter of
conscience. Whatever I did, I did with a single heart to the glory of God.
But our opponents, well-fed idlers that they are, will not believe what I
and many others have endured.


VERSES 15, 16, 17. But when it pleased God, who separated me from
my mother's womb, and called me by his grace. To reveal his Son in
me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I
conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to
them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and
returned again unto Damascus.

Here Paul relates that immediately upon being called by God to preach the
Gospel to the Gentiles, he went into Arabia without consulting a single
person. "When it had pleased God," he writes, "I did not deserve it. I had
been an enemy of Christ. I had blasphemed His Gospel. I had shed innocent
blood. In the midst of my frenzy I was called. Why? On account of my
outrageous cruelty? Indeed not. My gracious God who shows mercy unto
whom He will, pardoned all mine iniquities. He bestowed His grace upon
me, and called me for an apostle."

We also have come to the knowledge of the truth by the same kindness of
God. I crucified Christ daily in my cloistered life, and blasphemed God by
my wrong faith. Outwardly I kept myself chaste, poor, and obedient. I was
much given to fasting, watching, praying, saying of masses, and the like.
Yet under the cloak of my outward respectability I continually mistrusted,
doubted, feared, hated, and blasphemed God. My righteousness was a filthy
puddle. Satan loves such saints. They are his darlings, for they quickly
destroy their body and soul by depriving them of the blessings of God's
generous gifts.

I tell you I stood in awe of the pope's authority. To dissent from him I
considered a crime worthy of eternal death. I thought of John Huss as a
cursed heretic. I counted it a sin even to think of him. I would gladly have
furnished the wood to burn him. I would have felt I had done God a real
service.

In comparison with these sanctimonious hypocrites of the papacy,
publicans and harlots are not bad. They at least feel remorse. They at least
do not try to justify their wicked deeds. But these pretended saints, so far
from acknowledging their errors, justify them and regard them as
acceptable sacrifices unto God.


VERSE 15. When it pleased God.

"By the favor of God I, a wicked and cursed wretch, a blasphemer,
persecutor, and rebel, was spared. Not content to spare me, God granted
unto me the knowledge of His salvation, His Spirit, His Son, the office of
an apostle, everlasting life." Paul speaking.

God not only pardoned our iniquities, but in addition overwhelmed us with
blessings and spiritual gifts. Many, however, are ungrateful. Worse, by
opening again a window to the devil many begin to loathe God's Word, and
end by perverting the Gospel.


VERSE 15. Who separated me from my mother's womb.

This is a Hebrew expression, meaning to sanctify, ordain, prepare. Paul is
saying, "When I was not yet born God ordained me to be an apostle, and in
due time confirmed my apostleship before the world. Every gift, be it
small or great, spiritual or temporal, and every good thing I should ever
do, God has ordained while I was yet in my mother's womb where I could
neither think nor perform any good thing. After I was born God supported
me. Heaping mercy upon mercy, He freely forgave my sins, replenishing me
with His grace to enable me to learn what great things are ours in Christ.
To crown it all, He called me to preach the Gospel to others."


VERSE 15. And called me by his grace.

"Did God call me on account of my holy life? Or on account of my
pharisaical religion? Or on account of my prayers, fastings, and works?
Never. Well, then, it is certain God did not call me on account of my
blasphemies, persecutions, oppressions. What prompted Him to call me?
His grace alone."

VERSE 16. To reveal his Son to me.

We now hear what kind of doctrine was committed to Paul: The doctrine
of the Gospel, the doctrine of the revelation of the Son of God. This
doctrine differs greatly from the Law. The Law terrorizes the conscience.
The Law reveals the wrath and judgment of God. The Gospel does not
threaten. The Gospel announces that Christ is come to forgive the sins of
the world. The Gospel conveys to us the inestimable treasures of God.


VERSE 16. That I might preach him among the heathen.

"It pleased God," says the Apostle, "to reveal himself in me. Why? For a
twofold purpose. That I personally should believe in the Son of God, and
that I should reveal Him to the Gentiles."

Paul doe not mention the Jews, for the simple reason that he was the
called and acknowledged apostle of the Gentiles, although he preached
Christ also to the Jews.

We can hear the Apostle saying to himself: "I will not burden the Gentiles
with the Law, because I am their apostle and not their lawgiver. Not once
did you Galatians hear me speak of the righteousness of the Law or of
works. My job was to bring you the Gospel. Therefore you ought to listen to
no teachers of the Law, but the Gospel: not Moses, but the Son of God; not
the righteousness of works, but the righteousness of faith must be
proclaimed to the Gentiles. That is the right kind of preaching for
Gentiles."


VERSE 16. Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.

Once Paul had received the Gospel from Christ, he conferred with nobody
in Damascus. He asked no man to teach him. He did not go up to Jerusalem
to sit at the feet of Peter and the other apostles. At once he preached
Jesus Christ in Damascus.


VERSE 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were
apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto
Damascus.

"I went to Arabia before I saw any of the apostles. I took it upon myself
to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles without delay, because Christ had
called me for that purpose." This statement refutes the assertion of the
false apostles that Paul had been a pupil of the apostles, from which the
false apostles inferred that Paul had been instructed in the obedience of
the Law, that therefore the Gentiles also ought to keep the Law and submit
to circumcision.


VERSES 18, 19. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see
Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles
saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Paul minutely recounts his personal history to stop the cavil of the false
apostles. Paul does not deny that he had been with some of the apostles.
He went to Jerusalem uninvited, not to be instructed, but to visit with
Peter. Luke reports the occasion in the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts.
Barnabas introduced Paul to the apostles and related to them how Paul had
met the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus, also how Paul had preached
boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Paul says that he saw Peter and
James, but he denies that he learned anything from them.

Why does Paul harp on this seemingly unimportant fact? To convince the
churches of Galatia that his Gospel was the true Word of Christ which he
learned from Christ Himself and from no man. Paul was forced to affirm
and re-affirm this fact. His usefulness to all the churches that had used
him as their pastor and teacher was at stake.


VERSE 20. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God,
I lie not.

Was it necessary for Paul to go under oath? Yes. Paul is reporting
personal history. How else would the churches believe him? The false
apostles might say, "Who knows whether Paul is telling the truth?" Paul,
the elect vessel of God, was held in so little esteem by his own Galatians
to whom he had preached Christ that it was necessary for him to swear an
oath that he spoke the truth. If this happened to Paul, what business have
we to complain when people doubt our words, or hold us in little regard,
we who cannot begin to compare ourselves with the Apostle?


VERSE 21. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

Syria and Cilicia are adjacent countries. Paul traces his movements
carefully in order to convince the Galatians that he had never been the
disciple of any apostle.


VERSES 22, 23, 24. And was unknown by face unto the churches of
Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, that he which
persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he
destroyed. And they glorified God in me.

In Syria and Cilicia Paul won the indorsement of all the churches of
Judea, by his preaching. All the churches everywhere, even those of Judea,
could testify that he had preached the same faith everywhere. "And," Paul
adds, "these churches glorified God in me, not because I taught that
circumcision and the law of Moses should be observed, but because I urged
upon all faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

CHAPTER 2

VERSE 1. Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem.

Paul taught justification by faith in Christ Jesus, without the deeds of the
Law. He reported this to the disciples at Antioch. Among the disciples were
some that had been brought up in the ancient customs of the Jews. These rose
against Paul in quick indignation, accusing him of propagating a gospel of
lawlessness.

Great dissension followed. Paul and Barnabas stood up for the truth. They
testified: "Wherever we preached to the Gentiles, the Holy Ghost came upon
those who received the Word. This happened everywhere. We preached not
circumcision, we did not require observance of the Law. We preached faith in
Jesus Christ. At our preaching of faith, God gave to the hearers the Holy
Ghost." From this fact Paul and Barnabas inferred that the Holy Ghost approved
the faith of the Gentiles without the Law and circumcision. If the faith of the
Gentiles had not pleased the Holy Ghost, He would not have manifested His
presence in the uncircumcised hearers of the Word.

Unconvinced, the Jews fiercely opposed Paul, asserting that the Law ought to
be kept and that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised, or else they could not
be saved.

When we consider the obstinacy with which Romanists cling to their traditions,
we can very well understand the zealous devotion of the Jews for the Law.
After all, they had received the Law from God. We can understand how
impossible it was for recent converts from Judaism suddenly to break with the
Law. For that matter, God did bear with them, as He bore with the infirmity of
Israel when the people halted between two religions. Was not God patient with
us also while we were blindfolded by the papacy? God is longsuffering and full
of mercy. But we dare not abuse the patience of the Lord. We dare no longer
continue in error now that the truth has been revealed in the Gospel.

The opponents of Paul had his own example to prefer against him. Paul had
circumcised Timothy. Paul defended his action on the ground that he had
circumcised Timothy, not from compulsion, but from Christian love, lest the
weak in faith should be offended. His opponents would not accept Paul's
explanation.

When Paul saw that the quarrel was getting out of hand he obeyed the
direction of God and left for Jerusalem, there to confer with the other
apostles. He did this not for his own sake, but for the sake of the people.


VERSE 1. With Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

Paul chose two witnesses, Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas had been Paul's
preaching companion to the Gentiles. Barnabas was an eye-witness of the fact
that the Holy Ghost had come upon the Gentiles in response to the simple
preaching of faith in Jesus Christ. Barnabas stuck to Paul on this point, that
it was not necessary for the Gentiles to be bothered with the Law as long as
they believed in Christ.

Titus was superintendent of the churches in Crete, having been placed in
charge of the churches by Paul. Titus was a former Gentile.


VERSE 2. And I went up by revelation.

If God had not ordered Paul to Jerusalem, Paul would never have gone there.


VERSE 2. And communicated unto them that gospel.

After an absence of fourteen years, respectively eighteen years, Paul returned
to Jerusalem to confer with the other apostles.


VERSE 2. Which I preach among the Gentiles.

Among the Jews Paul allowed Law and circumcision to stand for the time being.
So did all the apostles. Nevertheless Paul held fast to the liberty of the
Gospel. On one occasion he said to the Jews: "Through this man (Christ) is
preached unto you forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of
Moses." (Acts 13:39.) Always remembering the weak, Paul did not insist that
they break at once with the Law.

Paul admits that he conferred with the apostles concerning his Gospel. But he
denies that the conference benefited or taught him anything. The fact is he
resisted those who wanted to force the practice of the Law upon the Gentiles.
They did not overcome him, he overcame them. "Your false apostles lie, when
they say that I circumcised Timothy, shaved my head in Cenchrea, and went up
to Jerusalem, at the request of the apostles. I went to Jerusalem at the
request of God. What is more, I won the indorsement of the apostles. My
opponents lost out."

The matter upon which the apostles deliberated in conference was this: Is the
observance of the Law requisite unto justification? Paul answered: "I have
preached faith in Christ to the Gentiles, and not the Law. If the Jews want to
keep the Law and be circumcised, very well, as long as they do so from a right
motive."


VERSE 2. But privately to them which were of reputation.

This is to say, "I conferred not only with the brethren, but with the leaders
among them."


VERSE 2. Lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Not that Paul himself ever thought he had run in vain. However, many did think
that Paul had preached the Gospel in vain, because he kept the Gentiles free
from the yoke of the Law. The opinion that obedience to the Law was mandatory
unto salvation was gaining ground. Paul meant to remedy this evil. By this
conference he hoped to establish the identity of his Gospel with that of the
other apostles, to stop the talk of his opponents that he had been running
around in vain.


VERSE 3. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was
compelled to be circumcised.

The word "compelled" acquaints us with the outcome of the conference. It was
resolved that the Gentiles should not be compelled to be circumcised.

Paul did not condemn circumcision in itself. Neither by word nor deed did he
ever inveigh against circumcision. But he did protest against circumcision
being made a condition for salvation. He cited the case of the Fathers. "The
fathers were not justified by circumcision. It was to them a sign and seal of
righteousness. They looked upon circumcision as a confession of their faith."

The believing Jews, however, could not get it through their heads that
circumcision was not necessary for salvation. They were encouraged in their
wrong attitude by the false apostles. The result was that the people were up in
arms against Paul and his doctrine.

Paul did not condemn circumcision as if it were a sin to receive it. But he
insisted, and the conference upheld him, that circumcision had no bearing upon
salvation and was therefore not to be forced upon the Gentiles. The conference
agreed that the Jews should be permitted to keep their ancient customs for
the time being, so long as they did not regard those customs as conveying God's
justification of the sinner.

The false apostles were dissatisfied with the verdict of the conference. They
did not want to rest circumcision and the practice of the Law in Christian
liberty. They insisted that circumcision was obligatory unto salvation.

As the opponents of Paul, so our own adversaries [Luther's, the enemies of the
Reformation] contend that the traditions of the Fathers dare not be neglected
without loss of salvation. Our opponents will not agree with us on anything.
They defend their blasphemies. They go as far to enforce them with the sword.

Paul's victory was complete. Titus, who was with Paul, was not compelled to
be circumcised, although he stood in the midst of the apostles when this
question of circumcision was debated. This was a blow to the false apostles.
With the living fact that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised Paul was
able to squelch his adversaries.

VERSES 4,5. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in,
who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ
Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by
subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might
continue with you.

Paul here explains his motive for going up to Jerusalem. He did not go to
Jerusalem to be instructed or confirmed in his Gospel by the other apostles.
He went to Jerusalem in order to preserve the true Gospel for the Galatian
churches and for all the churches of the Gentiles.

When Paul speaks of the truth of the Gospel he implies by contrast a false
gospel. The false apostles also had a gospel, but it was an untrue gospel.
"In holding out against them," says Paul, "I conserved the truth of the pure
Gospel."

Now the true Gospel has it that we are justified by faith alone, without the
deeds of the Law. The false gospel has it that we are justified by faith, but
not without the deeds of the Law. The false apostles preached a conditional
gospel.

So do the papists. They admit that faith is the foundation of salvation. But
they add the conditional clause that faith can save only when it is furnished
with good works. This is wrong. The true Gospel declares that good works are
the embellishment of faith, but that faith itself is the gift and work of God
in our hearts. Faith is able to justify, because it apprehends Christ, the
Redeemer.

Human reason can think only in terms of the Law. It mumbles: "This I have
done, this I have not done." But faith looks to Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
given into death for the sins of the whole world. To turn one's eyes away
from Jesus means to turn them to the Law.

True faith lays hold of Christ and leans on Him alone. Our opponents cannot
understand this. In their blindness they cast away the precious pearl,
Christ, and hang onto their stubborn works. They have no idea what faith is.
How can they teach faith to others?

Not satisfied with teaching an untrue gospel, the false apostles tried to
entangle Paul. "They went about," says Paul, "to spy out our liberty which we
have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage."

When Paul saw through their scheme, he attacked the false apostles. He says,
"We did not let go of the liberty which we have in Christ Jesus. We routed
them by the judgment of the apostles, and we would not give in to them, no,
not an inch."

We too were willing to make all kinds of concessions to the papists. Yes, we
are willing to offer them more than we should. But we will not give up the
liberty of conscience which we have in Christ Jesus. We refuse to have our
conscience bound by any work or law, so that by doing this or that we should
be righteous, or leaving this or that undone we should be damned.

Since our opponents will not let it stand that only faith in Christ
justifies, we will not yield to them. On the question of justification we
must remain adamant, or else we shall lose the truth of the Gospel. It is a
matter of life and death. It involves the death of the Son of God, who died
for the sins of the world. If we surrender faith in Christ, as the only thing
that can justify us, the death and resurrection of Jesus are without meaning;
that Christ is the Savior of the world would be a myth. God would be a liar,
because He would not have fulfilled His promises. Our stubbornness is right,
because we want to preserve the liberty which we have in Christ. Only by
preserving our liberty shall we be able to retain the truth of the Gospel
inviolate.

Some will object that the Law is divine and holy. Let it be divine and holy.
The Law has no right to tell me that I must be justified by it. The Law has
the right to tell me that I should love God and my neighbor, that I should
live in chastity, temperance, patience, etc. The Law has no right to tell me
how I may be delivered from sin, death, and hell. It is the Gospel's business
to tell me that. I must listen to the Gospel. It tells me, not what I must
do, but what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has done for me.

To conclude, Paul refused to circumcise Titus for the reason that the false
apostles wanted to compel him to circumcise Titus. Paul refused to accede to
their demands. If they had asked it on the plea of brotherly love, Paul would
not have denied them. But because they demanded it on the ground that it was
necessary for salvation, Paul defied them, and prevailed. Titus was not
circumcised.

VERSE 6. But of those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they
were, it maketh no matter to me.

This is a good point in Paul's refutation. Paul disparages the authority and
dignity of the true apostles. He says of them, "Which seemed to be somewhat."
The authority of the apostles was indeed great in all the churches. Paul did
not want to detract from their authority, but he had to speak disparagingly
of their authority in order to conserve the truth of the Gospel, and the
liberty of conscience.

The false apostles used this argument against Paul: "The apostles lived with
Christ for three years. They heard His sermons. They witnessed His miracles.
They themselves preached and performed miracles while Christ was on earth.
Paul never saw Jesus in the flesh. Now, whom ought you to believe: Paul, who
stands alone, a mere disciple of the apostles, one of the last and least; or
will you believe those grand apostles who were sent and confirmed by Christ
Himself long before Paul?"

What could Paul say to that? He answered: "What they say has no bearing on
the argument. If the apostles were angels from heaven, that would not impress
me. We are not now discussing the excellency of the apostles. We are talking
about the Word of God now, and the truth of the Gospel. That Gospel is more
excellent than all apostles.

VERSE 6. God accepteth no man's person.

Paul is quoting Moses: "Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor
honor the person of the mighty." (Lev. 19:15) This quotation from Moses ought
to shut the mouths of the false apostles. "Don't you know that God is no
respecter of persons?" cries Paul. The dignity or authority of men means
nothing to God. The fact is that God often rejects just such who stand in the
odor of sanctity and in the aura of importance. In doing so God seems unjust
and harsh. But men need deterring examples. For it is a vice with us to
esteem personality more highly than the Word of God. God wants us to exalt
His Word and not men.

There must be people in high office, of course. But we are not to deify them.
The governor, the mayor, the preacher, the teacher, the scholar, father,
mother, are persons whom we are to love and revere, but not to the extent
that we forget God. Least we attach too much importance to the person, God
leaves with important persons offenses and sins, sometimes astounding
shortcomings, to show us that there is a lot of difference between any person
and God. David was a good king. But when the people began to think too well
of him, down he fell into horrible sins, adultery and murder. Peter,
excellent apostle that he was, denied Christ. Such examples of which the
Scriptures are full, ought to warn us not to repose our trust in men. In the
papacy appearance counts for everything. Indeed, the whole papacy amounts to
nothing more than a mere kowtowing of persons and outward mummery. But God
alone is to be feared and honored.

I would honor the Pope, I would love his person, if he would leave my
conscience alone, and not compel me to sin against God. But the Pope wants to
be adored himself, and that cannot be done without offending God. Since we
must choose between one or the other, let us choose God. The truth is we are
commissioned by God to resist the Pope, for it is written, "We ought to obey
God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

We have seen how Paul refutes the argument of the false apostles concerning
the authority of the apostles. In order that the truth of the Gospel may
continue; in order that the Word of God and the righteousness of faith may be
kept pure and undefiled, let the apostles, let an angel from heaven, let
Peter, let Paul, let them all perish.

VERSE 6. For they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added
nothing to me.

The Apostle repeats: "I did not so confer with the apostles that they taught
me anything. What could they possibly teach me since Christ by His revelation
had taught me all things? It was but a conference, and no disputation. I
learned nothing, neither did I defend my cause. I only stated what I had
done, that I had preached to the Gentiles faith in Christ, without the Law,
and that in response to my preaching the Holy Ghost came down upon the
Gentiles. When the apostles heard this, they were glad that I had taught the
truth."

If Paul would not give in to the false apostles, much less ought we to give
in to our opponents. I know that a Christian should be humble, but against
the Pope I am going to be proud and say to him: "You, Pope, I will not have
you for my boss, for I am sure that my doctrine is divine." Such pride
against the Pope is imperative, for if we are not stout and proud we shall
never succeed in defending the article of the righteousness of faith.

If the Pope would concede that God alone by His grace through Christ
justifies sinners, we would carry him in our arms, we would kiss his feet.
But since we cannot obtain this concession, we will give in to nobody, not to
all the angels in heaven, not to Peter, not to Paul, not to a hundred
emperors, not to a thousand popes, not to the whole world. If in this matter
we were to humble ourselves, they would take from us the God who created us,
and Jesus Christ who has redeemed us by His blood. Let this be our
resolution, that we will suffer the loss of all things, the loss of our good
name, of life itself, but the Gospel and our faith in Jesus Christ--we will
not stand for it that anybody take them from us.

VERSES 7, 8. But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the
uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision
was unto Peter; [For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the
apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the
Gentiles.]

Here the Apostle claims for himself the same authority which the false
apostles attributed to the true apostles. Paul simply inverts their argument.
"to bolster their evil cause," says he, "the false apostles quote the
authority of the great apostles against me. I can quote the same authority
against them, for the apostles are on my side. They gave me the right hand of
fellowship. They approved my ministry. O my Galatians, do not believe the
counterfeit apostles!"

What does Paul mean by saying that the gospel of the uncircumcision was
committed unto him, and that of the circumcision to Peter? Did not Paul
preach to the Jews, while Peter preached to the Gentiles also? Peter
converted the Centurion. Paul's custom was to enter into the synagogues of
the Jews, there to preach the Gospel. Why then should he call himself the
apostle of the Gentiles, while he calls Peter the apostle of the
circumcision?

Paul refers to the fact that the other apostles remained in Jerusalem until
the destruction of the city became imminent. But Paul was especially called
the apostle of the Gentiles. Even before the destruction of Jerusalem Jews
dwelt here and there in the cities of the Gentiles. Coming to a city, Paul
customarily entered the synagogues of the Jews and first brought to them as
the children of the kingdom, the glad tidings that the promises made unto the
fathers were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. When the Jews refused to hear these
glad tidings, Paul turned to the Gentiles. He was the apostle of the Gentiles
in a special sense, as Peter was the apostle of the Jews.

Paul reiterates that Peter, James, and John, the accepted pillars of the
Church, taught him nothing, nor did they commit unto him the office of
preaching the Gospel unto the Gentiles. Both the knowledge of the Gospel and
the commandment to preach it to the Gentiles, Paul received directly from
God. His case was parallel to that of Peter's, who was particularly
commissioned to preach the Gospel to the Jews.

The apostles had the same charge, the identical Gospel. Peter did not
proclaim a different Gospel, nor had he appointed his fellow apostles. They
were equals. They were all taught of God. None was greater than the other,
none could point to prerogatives above the other. To justify his usurped
primacy in the Church the Pope claims that Peter was the chief of the
apostles. This is an impudent falsehood.

VERSE 8. For he that wrought effectually in Peter.

With these words Paul refutes another argument of the false apostles. "What
reason have the false apostles to boast that the Gospel of Peter was mighty,
that he converted many, that he wrought great miracles, and that his very
shadow healed the sick? These reports are true enough. But where did Peter
acquire this power? God gave him the power. I have the same power. I received
my power, not from Peter, but from the same God, the same Spirit who was
mighty in Peter was mighty in me also." Luke corroborates Paul's statement in
the words: "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, so that
from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the
diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." (Acts
19:11, 12.)

To conclude, Paul is not going to be inferior to the rest of the apostles.
Some secular writers put Paul's boasting down as carnal pride. But Paul had
no personal interest in his boasting. It was with him a matter of faith and
doctrine. The controversy was not about the glory of Paul, but the glory of
God, the Word of God, the true worship of God, true religion, and the
righteousness of faith.

VERSE 9. And when James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and
Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the
heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

"The fact is, when the apostles heard that I had received the charge to
preach the Gospel to the Gentiles from Christ; when they heard that God had
wrought many miracles through me; that great numbers of the Gentiles had come
to the knowledge of Christ through my ministry; when they heard that the
Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost without Law and circumcision, by the
simple preaching of faith; when they heard all this they glorified God for
His grace in me." Hence, Paul was justified in concluding that the apostles
were for him, and not against him.

VERSE 9. The right hands of fellowship.

As if the apostles had said to him: "We, Paul, do agree with you in all
things. We are companions in doctrine. We have the same Gospel with this
difference, that to you is committed the Gospel for the uncircumcised, while
the Gospel for the circumcision is committed unto us. But this difference
ought not to hinder our friendship, since we preach one and the same Gospel."

VERSE 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same
which I also was forward to do.

Next to the preaching of the Gospel, a true and faithful pastor will take
care of the poor. Where the Church is, there must be the poor, for the world
and the devil persecute the Church and impoverish many faithful Christians.

Speaking of money, nobody wants to contribute nowadays to the maintenance of
the ministry, and the erection of schools. When it comes to establishing
false worship and idolatry, no cost is spared. True religion is ever in need
of money, while false religions are backed by wealth.

VERSE 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the
face, because he was to be blamed.

Paul goes on in his refutation of the false apostles by saying that in
Antioch he withstood Peter in the presence of the whole congregation. As he
stated before, Paul had no small matter in hand, but the chief article of the
Christian religion. When this article is endangered, we must not hesitate to
resist Peter, or an angel from heaven. Paul paid no regard to the dignity and
position of Peter, when he saw this article in danger. It is written: "He
that loveth father or mother or his own life, more than me, is not worthy of
me." (Matt. 10:37.)

For defending the truth in our day, we are called proud and obstinate
hypocrites. We are not ashamed of these titles. The cause we are called to
defend, is not Peter's cause, or the cause of our parents, or that of the
government, or that of the world, but the cause of God. In defense of that
cause we must be firm and unyielding.

When he says, "to his face," Paul accuses the false apostles of slandering
him behind his back. In his presence they dared not to open their mouths. He
tells them, "I did not speak evil of Peter behind his back, but I withstood
him frankly and openly."

Others may debate here whether an apostle might sin. I claim that we ought
not to make Peter out as faultless. Prophets have erred. Nathan told David
that he should go ahead and build the Temple of the Lord. But his prophecy
was afterwards corrected by the Lord. The apostles erred in thinking of the
Kingdom of Christ as a worldly state. Peter had heard the command of Christ,
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." But if
it had not been for the heavenly vision and the special command of Christ,
Peter would never have gone to the home of Cornelius. Peter also erred in
this matter of circumcision. If Paul had not publicly censured him, all the
believing Gentiles would have been compelled to receive circumcision and
accept the Jewish law. We are not to attribute perfection to any man.

Luke reports "that the contention between Paul and Barnabas was so sharp that
they departed asunder one from the other." The cause of their disagreement
could hardly have been small since it separated these two, who had been
joined together for years in a holy partnership. Such incidents are recorded
for our consolation. After all, it is a comfort to know that even saints
might and do sin.

Samson, David, and many other excellent men, fell into grievous sins. Job and
Jeremiah cursed the day of their birth. Elijah and Jonah became weary of life
and prayed for death. Such offenses on the part of the saints, the Scriptures
record for the comfort of those who are near despair. No person has ever sunk
so low that he cannot rise again. On the other hand, no man's standing is so
secure that he may not fall. If Peter fell, I may fall. If he rose again, I
may rise again. We have the same gifts that they had, the same Christ, the
same baptism and the same Gospel, the same forgiveness of sins. They needed
these saving ordinances just as much as we do.

VERSE 12. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the
Gentiles.

The Gentiles who had been converted to faith in Christ, ate meats forbidden
by the Law. Peter, visiting some of these Gentiles, ate meat and drank wine
with them, although he knew that these things were forbidden in the Law. Paul
declared that he did likewise, that he became as a Jew to the Jews, and to
them that were without law, as without law. He ate and drank with the
Gentiles unconcerned about the Jewish Law. When he was with the Jews,
however, he abstained from all things forbidden in the Law, for he labored to
serve all men, that he "might by all means save some." Paul does not reprove
Peter for transgressing the Law, but for disguising his attitude to the Law.

VERSE 12. But when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself,
fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Paul does not accuse Peter of malice or ignorance, but of lack of principle,
in that he abstained from meats, because he feared the Jews that came from
James. Peter's weak attitude endangered the principle of Christian liberty.
It is the deduction rather than the fact which Paul reproves. To eat and to
drink, or not to eat and drink, is immaterial. But to make the deduction "If
you eat, you sin; if you abstain you are righteous"--this is wrong.

Meats may be refused for two reasons. First, they may be refused for the sake
of Christian love. There is no danger connected with a refusal of meats for
the sake of charity. To bear with the infirmity of a brother is a good thing.
Paul himself taught and exemplified such thoughtfulness. Secondly, meats may
be refused in the mistaken hope of thereby obtaining righteousness. When this
is the purpose of abstaining from meats, we say, let charity go. To refrain
from meats for this latter reason amounts to a denial of Christ. If we must
lose one or the other, let us lose a friend and brother, rather than God, our
Father.

Jerome, who understood not this passage, nor the whole epistle for that
matter, excuses Peter's action on the ground "that it was done in ignorance."
But Peter offended by giving the impression that he was indorsing the Law. By
his example he encouraged Gentiles and Jews to forsake the truth of the
Gospel. If Paul had not reproved him, there would have been a sliding back of
Christians into the Jewish religion, and a return to the burdens of the Law.

It is surprising that Peter, excellent apostle that he was, should have been
guilty of such vacillation. In a former council at Jerusalem he practically
stood alone in defense of the truth that salvation is by faith, without the
Law. Peter at that time valiantly defended the liberty of the Gospel. But now
by abstaining from meats forbidden in the Law, he went against his better
judgment. You have no idea what danger there is in customs and ceremonies.
They so easily tend to error in works.

VERSE 13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch
that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

It is marvelous how God preserved the Church by one single person. Paul alone
stood up for the truth, for Barnabas, his companion, was lost to him, and
Peter was against him. Sometimes one lone person can do more in a conference
than the whole assembly.

I mention this to urge all to learn how properly to differentiate between the
Law and the Gospel, in order to avoid dissembling. When it come to the
article of justification we must not yield, if we want to retain the truth of
the Gospel.

When the conscience is disturbed, do not seek advice from reason or from the
Law, but rest your conscience in the grace of God and in His Word, and
proceed as if you had never heard of the Law. The Law has its place and its
own good time. While Moses was in the mountain where he talked with God face
to face, he had no law, he made no law, he administered no law. But when he
came down from the mountain, he was a lawgiver. The conscience must be kept
above the Law, the body under the Law.

Paul reproved Peter for no trifle, but for the chief article of Christian
doctrine, which Peter's hypocrisy had endangered. For Barnabas and other Jews
followed Peter's example. It is surprising that such good men as Peter,
Barnabas, and others should fall into unexpected error, especially in a
matter which they knew so well. To trust in our own strength, our own
goodness, our own wisdom, is a perilous thing. Let us search the Scriptures
with humility, praying that we may never lose the light of the Gospel. "Lord,
increase our faith."

VERSE 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to
the truth of the gospel.

No one except Paul had his eyes open. Consequently it was his duty to
reprove Peter and his followers for swerving from the truth of the Gospel. It
was no easy task for Paul to reprimand Peter. To the honor of Peter it must
be said that he took the correction. No doubt, he freely acknowledged his
fault.

The person who can rightly divide Law and Gospel has reason to thank God. He
is a true theologian. I must confess that in times of temptation I do not
always know how to do it. To divide Law and Gospel means to place the
Gospel in heaven, and to keep the Law on earth; to call the righteousness of
the Gospel heavenly, and the righteousness of the Law earthly; to put as much
difference between the righteousness of the Gospel and that of the Law, as
there is difference between day and night. If it is a question of faith or
conscience, ignore the Law entirely. If it is a question of works, then lift
high the lantern of works and the righteousness of the Law. If your
conscience is oppressed with a sense of sin, talk to your conscience. Say:
"You are now groveling in the dirt. You are now a laboring ass. Go ahead, and
carry your burden. But why don't you mount up to heaven? There the Law
cannot follow you!" Leave the ass burdened with laws behind in the valley.
But your conscience, let it ascend with Isaac into the mountain.

In civil life obedience to the law is severely required. In civil life Gospel,
conscience, grace, remission of sins, Christ Himself, do not count, but only
Moses with the lawbooks. If we bear in mind this distinction, neither Gospel
nor Law shall trespass upon each other. The moment Law and sin cross into
heaven, i.e., your conscience, kick them out. On the other hand, when grace
wanders unto the earth, i.e., into the body, tell grace: "You have no business
to be around the dreg and dung of this bodily life. You belong in heaven."

By his compromising attitude Peter confused the separation of Law and
Gospel. Paul had to do something about it. He reproved Peter, not to
embarrass him, but to conserve the difference between the Gospel which
justifies in heaven, and the Law which justifies on earth.

The right separation between Law and Gospel is very important to know.
Christian doctrine is impossible without it. Let all who love and fear God,
diligently learn the difference, not only in theory but also in practice.

When your conscience gets into trouble, say to yourself: "There is a time to
die, and a time to live; a time to learn the Law, and a time to unlearn the
Law; a time to hear the Gospel, and a time to ignore the Gospel. Let the Law
now depart, and let the Gospel enter, for now is the right time to hear the
Gospel, and not the Law." However, when the conflict of conscience is over
and external duties must be performed, close your ears to the Gospel, and
open them wide to the Law.


VERSE 14. I said unto Peter before them all, If thou being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest
thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews

To live as a Jew is nothing bad. To eat or not to eat pork, what difference
does it make? But to play the Jew, and for conscience' sake to abstain from
certain meats, is a denial of Christ. When Paul saw that Peter's attitude
tended to this, he withstood Peter and said to him: "You know that the
observance of the Iaw is not needed unto righteousness. You know that we are
justified by faith in Christ. You know that we may eat all kinds of meats. Yet
by your example you obligate the Gentiles to forsake Christ, and to return to
the Law. You give them reason to think that faith is not sufficient unto
salvation."

Peter did not say so, but his example said quite plainly that the observance
of the Law must be added to faith in Christ, if men are to be saved. From
Peter's example the Gentiles could not help but draw the conclusion that the
Law was necessary unto salvation. If this error had been permitted to pass
unchallenged, Christ would have lost out altogether.

The controversy involved the preservation of pure doctrine. In such a
controversy Paul did not mind if anybody took offense.


VERSE 15. We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles.

"When we Jews compare ourselves with the Gentiles, we look pretty good.
We have the Law, we have good works. Our rectitude dates from our birth,
because the Jewish religion is natural to us. But all this does not make us
righteous before God."

Peter and the others lived up to the requirements of the Law. They had
circumcision, the covenant, the promises, the apostleship. But because of
these advantages they were not to think themselves righteous before God.
None of these prerogatives spell faith in Christ, which alone can justify a
person. We do not mean to imply that the Law is bad. We do not condemn the
Law, circumcision, etc., for their failure to justify us. Paul spoke
disparagingly of these ordinances, because the false apostles asserted that
mankind is saved by them without faith. Paul could not let this assertion
stand, for without faith all things are deadly.


VERSE 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ.

For the sake of argument let us suppose that you could fulfill the Law in the
spirit of the first commandment of God: "Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God,
with all thy heart." It would do you no good. A person simply is not justified
by the works of the Law.

The works of the Law, according to Paul, include the whole Law, judicial,
ceremonial, moral. Now, if the performance of the moral law cannot justify,
how can circumcision justify, when circumcision is part of the ceremonial
law?

The demands of the Law may be fulfilled before and after justification.
There were many excellent men among the pagans of old, men who never
heard of justification. They lived moral lives. But that fact did not justify
them. Peter, Paul, all Christians, live up to the Law. But that fact does not
justify them. "For I know nothing by myself," says Paul, "yet am I not hereby
justified." (I Cor. 4:4.)

The nefarious opinion of the papists, which attributes the merit of grace and
the remission of sins to works, must here be emphatically rejected. The
papists say that a good work performed before grace has been obtained, is
able to secure grace for a person, because it is no more than right that God
should reward a good deed. When grace has already been obtained, any good
work deserves everlasting life as a due payment and reward for merit. For
the first, God is no debtor, they say; but because God is good and just, it is no
more than right (they say) that He should reward a good work by granting
grace for the service. But when grace has already been obtained, they
continue, God is in the position of a debtor, and is in duty bound to reward a
good work with the gift of eternal life. This is the wicked teaching of the
papacy.

Now, if I could perform any work acceptable to God and deserving of grace,
and once having obtained grace my good works would continue to earn for me
the right and reward of eternal life, why should I stand in need of the grace
of God and the suffering and death of Christ? Christ would be of no benefit to
me. Christ's mercy would be of no use to me.

This shows how little insight the pope and the whole of his religious coterie
have into spiritual matters, and how little they concern themselves with the
spiritual health of their forlorn flocks. They cannot believe that the flesh is
unable to think, speak, or do anything except against God. If they could see
evil rooted in the nature of man, they would never entertain such silly
dreams about man's merit or worthiness.

With Paul we absolutely deny the possibility of self merit. God never yet
gave to any person grace and everlasting life as a reward for merit. The
opinions of the papists are the intellectual pipe-dreams of idle pates, that
serve no other purpose but to draw men away from the true worship of God.
The papacy is founded upon hallucinations.

The true way of salvation is this. First, a person must realize that he is a
sinner, the kind of a sinner who is congenitally unable to do any good thing.
"Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." Those who seek to earn the grace of God
by their own efforts are trying to please God with sins. They mock God, and
provoke His anger. The first step on the way to salvation is to repent.

The second part is this. God sent His only-begotten Son into the world that
we may live through His merit. He was crucified and killed for us. By
sacrificing His Son for us God revealed Himself to us as a merciful Father
who donates remission of sins, righteousness, and life everlasting for
Christ's sake. God hands out His gifts freely unto all men. That is the praise
and glory of His mercy.

The scholastics explain the way of salvation in this manner. When a person
happens to perform a good deed, God accepts it and as a reward for the good
deed God pours charity into that person. They call it "charity infused." This
charity is supposed to remain in the heart. They get wild when they are told
that this quality of the heart cannot justify a person.

They also claim that we are able to love God by our own natural strength, to
love God above all things, at least to the extent that we deserve grace. And,
say the scholastics, because God is not satisfied with a literal performance
of the Law, but expects us to fulfill the Law according to the mind of the
Lawgiver, therefore we must obtain from above a quality above nature, a
quality which they call "formal righteousness."

We say, faith apprehends Jesus Christ. Christian faith is not an inactive
quality in the heart. If it is true faith it will surely take Christ for its
object. Christ, apprehended by faith and dwelling in the heart, constitutes
Christian righteousness, for which God gives eternal life.

In contrast to the doting dreams of the scholastics, we teach this: First a
person must learn to know himself from the Law. With the prophet he will
then confess: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." And,
"there is none that doeth good, no, not one." And, "against thee, thee only,
have I sinned."

Having been humbled by the Law, and having been brought to a right estimate
of himself, a man will repent. He finds out that he is so depraved, that no
strength, no works, no merits of his own will ever deliver him from his guilt.
He will then understand the meaning of Paul's words: "I am sold under sin";
and "they are all under sin."

At this state a person begins to lament: "Who is going to help me?" In due
time comes the Word of the Gospel, and says: "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified for your sins. Remember, your sins
have been imposed upon Christ."

In this way are we delivered from sin. In this way are we justified and made
heirs of everlasting life.

In order to have faith you must paint a true portrait of Christ. The
scholastics caricature Christ into a judge and tormentor. But Christ is no law
giver. He is the Lifegiver. He is the Forgiver of sins. You must believe that
Christ might have atoned for the sins of the world with one single drop of His
blood. Instead, He shed His blood abundantly in order that He might give
abundant satisfaction for our sins.

Here let me say, that these three things, faith, Christ, and imputation of
righteousness, are to be joined together. Faith takes hold of Christ. God
accounts this faith for righteousness.

This imputation of righteousness we need very much, because we are far
from perfect. As long as we have this body, sin will dwell in our flesh. Then,
too, we sometimes drive away the Holy Spirit; we fall into sin, like Peter,
David, and other holy men. Nevertheless we may always take recourse to this
fact, "that our sins are covered," and that "God will not lay them to our
charge." Sin is not held against us for Christ's sake. Where Christ and faith
are lacking, there is no remission or covering of sins, but only condemnation.

After we have taught faith in Christ, we teach good works. "Since you have
found Christ by faith," we say, "begin now to work and do well. Love God and
your neighbor. Call upon God, give thanks unto Him, praise Him, confess Him.
These are good works. Let them flow from a cheerful heart, because you have
remission of sin in Christ."

When crosses and afflictions come our way, we bear them patiently. "For
Christ's yoke is easy, and His burden is light." When sin has been pardoned,
and the conscience has been eased of its dreadful load, a Christian can endure
all things in Christ.

To give a short definition of a Christian: A Christian is not somebody chalks
sin, because of his faith in Christ. This doctrine brings comfort to
consciences in serious trouble. When a person is a Christian he is above law
and sin. When the Law accuses him, and sin wants to drive the wits out of
him, a Christian looks to Christ. A Christian is free. He has no master except
Christ. A Christian is greater than the whole world.


VERSE 16. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified.

The true way of becoming a Christian is to be justified by faith in Jesus
Christ, and not by the works of the Law.

We know that we must also teach good works, but they must be taught in
their proper turn, when the discussion is concerning works and not the
article of justification.

Here the question arises by what means are we justified? We answer with
Paul, "By faith only in Christ are we pronounced righteous, and not by works."
Not that we reject good works. Far from it. But we will not allow ourselves
to be removed from the anchorage of our salvation.

The Law is a good thing. But when the discussion is about justification, then
is no time to drag in the Law. When we discuss justification we ought to
speak of Christ and the benefits He has brought us.

Christ is no sheriff. He is "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world." (John 1:29.)


VERSE 16. That we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by
the works of the Law.

We do not mean to say that the Law is bad. Only it is not able to justify us.
To be at peace with God, we have need of a far better mediator than Moses or
the Law. We must know that we are nothing. We must understand that we are
merely beneficiaries and recipients of the treasures of Christ.

So far, the words of Paul were addressed to Peter. Now Paul turns to the
Galatians and makes this summary statement:


VERSE 16. For by the works of the